farm sanctuary

Two major announcements regarding farm animal welfare provide some measure of celebration for animals in these trying times.

First, in Ohio, activists have been working to get a proposition on the ballot, much like those successfully run in Arizona and California. Instead of proceeding with the ballot initiative, Ohioans for Humane Farms (supported by the Farm Sanctuary, the Humane Society of the United States, and other animal advocacy groups) agreed to drop their campaign if the state’s agricultural industry agreed to several reforms, including a ban on veal crates, a ban on gestation crates, and other measures (which are outlined in this Farm Sanctuary press release).

Second, according to an HSUS press release, today California’s Governor Schwarzenegger signed a bill that requires by January 2015, all eggs sold in California

come from hens able to stand up, fully extend their limbs, lie down and spread their wings without touching each other or the sides of their enclosure, thus requiring cage-free conditions for the birds.

Otherwise, laying hens are kept in cruel battery cages. Imagine if you had so sit on a metal folding chair your whole life – you can’t move, you can’t stand, you can’t stretch. That’s what a battery cage is like. Kudos to Schwarzenegger for signing the bill into law.

Click on the image below to learn more about this sure-to-be-spectacular event. One of my sterling silver chain maille bracelets will be in the silent auction. I wish I could go, but I have to teach early Friday morning.

As you know, Farm Sanctuary has fought factory farming cruelty for more than 20 years. But right now, with your help, we have the greatest chance in history to effect change on factory farms – so I’m asking for your immediate action.

Proposition 2, on the ballot in California, would outlaw the most painful, horrendous confinement systems that we have been fighting all along – gestation crates for pregnant pigs, battery cages for egg-laying hens and veal crates for calves.

In just 15 days, California voters will have the chance to say “YES on Prop 2” and help relieve the suffering of 20 million animals. The passage of this legislation will send shockwaves through the nation – showing consumers, industry leaders, the media, politicians… everyone… that these systems are cruel and must be outlawed. It will spur change across the country, and lead to more reform at every level. The benefits of victory are immeasurable. The future of farm animals in the U.S. is hinging on this battle… and the animals are counting on us.

When Farm Sanctuary first began documenting factory farming cruelty in the U.S. in 1986, most people hadn’t heard of a “gestation crate” or a “battery cage.” But, we went in and took pictures, videos … and we rescued animals … who had languished day after day, year after year, in these cages.

This is the “system” of factory farming that has taken over America’s farms. Millions of animals face this exact misery… and they need help. Please make a special gift today directly to the YES! on Prop 2 campaign.

Farm Sanctuary has set out to bring the gross abuses of factory farming to the forefront in the media and STOP them. We fight – and win – many hard battles for farm animals, including passing the first laws in the U.S. to ban cruel factory farming practices.

And we can win this latest fight, but we truly can’t do it without you. We can’t afford not to win. The animals can’t afford to lose. We must rally every resource and fight Prop 2 opposition head to head.

We have broad support. But the opposition’s resources are vast. They are investing millions in misleading ads to dissuade voters from supporting Prop 2. We will be fighting up until Election Day and need every dollar to air as many ads as possible in the limited time left.

In order to win, we need every Farm Sanctuary member to join in this fight. We need you to make this commitment.

I’m only 31% ($155) away from my goal of raising $500 for the wonderful critters at the Farm Sanctuary. Please help me help the animals! Sponsor me today by visiting http://www.firstgiving.com/aimeedarsellis.

The Farm Sanctuary is less than an hour’s drive from Ithaca. On July 4th, we went to the annual Pignic. Of course, the best part was the tour. We were able to spend time with all the animals except the sheep and goats, though we did see the new sheep from last Fall’s rescue effort as well as Zoop, the goat after which last summer’s amazing Mountain Goats benefit was named. It’s always so wonderful to be around the animals–the lucky ones who are saved from a trip to someone’s stomach. I’m amazed that people can visit the Farm Sanctuary and still eat meat, but I guess the industry has done an incredibly effective job separating “meat” from the animals.

After the tour, we had vegan picnic food–though I had a veggie burger from the last batch. So many people attended, they ran out of food and had to make a trip into Watkins Glen to replenish supplies! While George and I were eating, Gene Bauer (co-founder) arrived, and he was swarmed by fans. We watched the spectacle, and I wanted to get my photo taken with him, but George put his foot down. I did console myself with the irrelevant coincidence that Bauer and I had the same camera case. Swoon. My “Chicks Dig Vegans” t-shirt was very popular…I even got a thumbs up from the pig mascot!